Court sentences Bosnian Croat

A Bosnian court has sentenced a former member of Bosnian Croat forces to six years in jail for war crimes against Muslim civilians committed during the country's 1992-95 war.

06 Jul 2004 20:53 GMT

Evidence of war crimes in Bosnia continues to be uncovered

Local television reported on Tuesday that a county court in the southern town of Mostar sentenced Mario Matic for killing Ismet Kovacevic and maltreating Vejsil Hajduk in April 1993, during the Muslim-Croat inter-ethnic fighting.

The crimes were committed in the southern town of Konjic, some 40kms southwest of Sarajevo. Matic's lawyer Marko Martinovic said he would appeal the verdict.

In April of 1992, Bosnia declared independence from Yugoslavia.

Almost immediately, the Bosnian Serb population rebelled against the Muslim and Croatian portions of the new nation.

Background

Although parts of the war saw the Muslims and Croats cooperate against their common foe, from 1993-1994 there was actally a three-way war when the Muslims and Croats battled each other as well as fighting Serbs.